August 20, 2012

This Is Campaign Nowhere

Well, yes - the President has not put forward serious plans to create jobs or address our fiscal challenges, Gitmo is still open, Afghanistan has three times as many US troops and and is still a quagmire, global warming is so far on the back burner it's in a new area code, and the Vice President is a touring jester. So yeah, limiting crowd size by over-promising and under-delivering has worked beauthifully.

Comments

I can add this: IF Akin steps down, and IF Sarah Steelman is named to replace him on the ballot, then the NRSC needs to send in some top notch Public Speaking and Debate trainers. I'm sure there are examples of her speaking well, but in my admittedly choppy google-research, the youtube/videos I did watch of her giving a speech or answering a debate question ranged from lifeless/dull to rambling/is this going somewhere?

The only reason Obama showed up at the WH press gaggle today was because of the republican nominee from Missouri. I'm sure the question was a plant. In fact, I suspect all of the questions were plants. He was ready for the questions with very little uhms and ahhs. That doesn't happen when he is asked a question he doesn't know is coming.

Former President Bill Clinton released a statement on the comments which have rocked the Missouri Senate race and may yet lead to the dissolution of the Republican Party. In addition to expressing his horror and outrage as a father, husband, son, and friend to women, he called out the scientific inaccuracy of the controversial statements.

"It is simply not true that there is less cause to worry about pregnancy during a rape than during sex (sex sex, I mean the real deal) in any other circumstance or position, regardless of the relationship between the man and woman involved. This is something I've looked in to, and pregnancy is always a risk."

Crossroads has pulled their ads in Missouri and NRSC will spend nothing in MO if Akin stays (per NRO they planned on spending $5MM).

John Cornyn: "“Congressman Akin’s statements were wrong, offensive, and indefensible. I recognize that this is a difficult time for him, but over the next twenty-four hours, Congressman Akin should carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party, and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service.”"

Had Akin merely said he was against abortion under any circumstances, including rape, he would have created a stir but he wouldn't have been deemed stupid. At least not by those who would have voted for him anyway. I'm sure they knew his views on abortion before they voted for him in the primary. It was the stupid after thought comment, not being able to get pregnant, that did him in. Not his pro-life position.

It's not the "self inflicted" wounds I mind so much as our sides method of treating the wounded; a quick bullet to the head and then a pleading look at the enemy in hope they won't ask us to do it again.

Hopefully he doesn't get anything back. He is probably doing a last minute test of the waters before he makes the decision to stay in or drop out. I just hope he does not turn bitter in the next 24 hours and stays in the race for spite. The idiot brought it upon himself and he has no one else to blame.

"You have to hand it to the Dems; they continue to demonstrate considerably more savvy in the Senate candidate selection process than the Republicans do.

"According to Politico, under Missouri law, Akin cannot withdraw unless he does so by tomorrow. If he does withdraw, then McCaskill can be asked to explain why the Dems worked in favor of this nominee. If he doesn’t, Akin can spend the next ten weeks trying to explain away one of the most politcally stupid remarks in memory."

While I agree, that's huge and bad for consumers and all that, I can't help but think it's the direct and totally predictable consequence of the 2008 Proposition C "Clean Energy" proposition, approved by 1.7 million (66%) of MO voters. (I voted against it.)

At the moment, I'm in a "you get the government - and the prices - you deserve" mood. No sympathy.

Jennfer rubin says the 24 hour deadline is incorrect, but I don't care enough to look it up myself frankly.
If he's not getting money, he's out, and if the Dems spent $1 million to put him there, even better.

Clarice: I think the 5pm tomorrow deadline is correct if we're talking about deadline for allowing another candidate to be named by the State GOP Nominating committee, and get the replacement's name on the November ballot.

Another article I read indicated he can withdraw as late as September something and ballots can be revised/reprinted if Akin pays the costs. I didn't see that language in what I read (so far) in the linked statutes. Regardless, I don't think another OFFICIAL party candidate can be named if he's not formally out by tomorrow.

There's no doubt his remark was politically hurtful and by that measure stupid. IMO not fatally so but stupid nonetheless.
But it's also described as inconceivably ignorant and as wrong as it is possible to be by both Republicans and Democrats.
Is it?The answer doesn't seem to be what the lynch mob believes to be incontrovertible fact.

We cannot go into the November election with weakened candidates. Remember McCaskill is largely responsible for Obama's electoral success. Let's not reward her with an easy win for a Senate seat. Remember she could not speak at her daughter's graduation because of her own views on abortion and stem-cell research. In addition she was not paying taxes on an airplane she used that belonged to her state to go back and forth to Washington.

Good Lord. Like pagar pointed out, these same screaming idiots didn't care that Obama voted to leave babies to die in closets!!
Talk about shameful beliefs...the Dems vote to kill babies, they think blacks & Hispanics are too stupid to get IDs,...

Supposedly Akin is on Hannity now sounding like an idiot and saying he has no intention of dropping out. If that dumbass does not quit then say goodbye to the Senate majority and any chance of repealing obamacare. Also get ready for 3 months of media harping on Akin and the GOP's hatred of women. Akin is putting himself ahead of the country.

"By Katrina Trinko
August 20, 2012 3:45 P.M. Comments0
A Missouri Republican consultant tells me that his sense is that state Republicans think that Todd Akin “needs to do the right thing and step aside.” Akin, he adds, “is in Ohio, meeting with his media team,” and from what he’s heard, remains divided over what to do.

And while businessman John Brunner, who placed second in the Republican primary after Akin, has been making calls, it’s unlikely that he will get tapped to be the candidate if Akin does step down. “The talk this morning has been ‘Well, he lost after spending 8 and a half million dollars. Is he really a consenus candidate?’” remarks the consultant.

Instead, the top three names being floated are former senator Jim Talent, former state GOP chair Ann Wagner (who is running as the Republican in the district Akin currently represents), and Tom Schweich, the state auditor who also worked as John Bolton’s chief of staff in previous years.

Meanwhile, the pressure on Akin is rising. It’s significantly easier if he drops out before 5 p.m. tomorrow; if he drops out later than then, a court order will be involved.

The consultant also thinks that it’s not shocking that Akin made his remark: “People make bad comments, but Todd Akin’s been making these for 12 years, but no one’s paid attention because he’s been a wacky little congressmen.”

"Instead, the top three names being floated are former senator Jim Talent, former state GOP chair Ann Wagner (who is running as the Republican in the district Akin currently represents), and Tom Schweich, the state auditor who also worked as John Bolton’s chief of staff in previous years. "

Talent lost to McCaskill before, I think. Don't know a thing about Ann Wagner. Schweich is Danforth's favorite son (which makes me suspicious) - not sure how he gets on Danforth AND Bolton's "go to guy" list. My first impression of him was he's dull as dirt (a sleep deprived accountant), but his record suggests seriousness and some depth/competence.

I vote for Talent because he is the candidate that McCaskill beat I believe the first time around back in 2006. She had Michael J. Fox campaign with her, emphasizing stem-cell research for Parkinson's disease.I didn't realize Steelman finished third in that primary. Does Brunner have any money left?

Yes. Per wiki: " After serving for eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives and then working as a lobbyist, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, narrowly defeating Democrat Jean Carnahan in a special election to complete the term to which Carnahan's husband, Mel, had been elected posthumously in 2000.[2] In the Democratic wave of November 2006, Talent narrowly lost his re-election bid to Claire McCaskill, 50% to 47%. Talent, a senior adviser to Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign,[3] currently serves as a member of Romney's 2012 Economic Policy Team."

Let's go with a fresh face then, perhaps Wagner or Scweich. Anyone is better than McCaskill. who recently lost weight to make herself more electable. We need new blood in the Senate. How old is Lautenberg now? He most be at least in his 90"s.

Forty-four percent predict they would be better off four years from now if Romney wins and 49% say they would not be better off. Those figures are roughly the same when voters are asked to predict their situation in four years if Obama is re-elected -- 42% say they would be better off and 52% say they would not be.

I am polled regularly by one group and often about a week after I'm polled, I see reports that seem to mirror whatever the poll polled the previous week. Does Gallup do blind polls, as often the Gallup numbers seem to mirror the questions of this blind poll.

The last couple of times there has been a line of questions that obviously are getting to whether I feel better off now than 4 years ago and whether I feel positive or negative about the next 6 mo, year, 5 years.

Twice now, I've complained about the questions because my answer for the 1 year, 5 year period is wholly dependent on whether the dumbass gets reelected or the adults get elected. These polls ask their questions without specifying, so I dismiss the results.

You said it more diplomatically than my backstab remark, but the sentiment is the same.

Akin will be on Hannity. I think I'll wait to see what he says, before I pronounce him dead and gone. From what I understand, he was going on some study he had heard about. I don't trust the media to give us an unspun account with context.

Heh. Well, if Akin doesn't quit, "Dead man" may turn out to be his nickname.

Medved just talked about it, briefly (we get everything hours late here, natch). Said, among other things, that Akin is well known in congress as "not a bright man." If someone of Akin's caliber can win the primary I'm sympathetic toward having a replacement selected by the party.

CNN has an article by Dr. Aaron Carroll up now that says there are 31,000 pregnancies from rape every year. They list him as an associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the director of the university's Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research.
LUN

Reported rapes have fallen to the lowest level in 20 years as DNA evidence helps send more rapists to prison and victims are more willing to work with police and prosecutors, victims advocates and crime researchers say.

The FBI estimates 89,000 women reported being raped in 2008 — 29 women for every 100,000 people. That's down from a high of 109,062 reported rapes in 1992 — 43 women for every 100,000 people. Data for 2009 are not yet available.

The confusing problem for you baggers is this: half the things you mention as his failings...are also things you would have your "preferred" candidate do or not do as well [Well, yes - I don't think Obama's problem is that he has lost *my* support, which he never had; his problem is that he has lost the support of many of the True Believers of 2008]. It must take a special form of mental contortion to rail against Obama for "1)not having a credible plan to put people to work, 2) keeping GITMO open, and 3) having 3 times as many troops in Afghanistan as when he took office ..." when your stated beliefs are against 1)"Big Government Intervention" in the economy; 2) Closing GITMO and bringing "terrorist" onto our soil, and 3) the need to double down and "win" these wars against terrorist in Afghanistan. And you want to talk about "jesters touring the land"...how many of y'all candidates running for office now want to invite Todd Akin over for a sip and see?! The truly sad part of all of this is that in your twisted, contorted confusion you folks are unable to come up with any real arguments other than inchoate rage. Rage you spew and direct at all moving objects that you perceive to go against the groups "talking head" think tank (O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh, et.al). And how sad is it that THAT is where the ideas for your movement come from. So your targets are Democrats and Republicans alike...which is why you have Akin in Missouri and that fool in Texas as your senate candidates. I would shake my head and laugh...except you folks are dangerous. And we cannot afford to ignore your pathetic immobilization due to the unfortunate arrival of the 21th Century.